


Songbird

by NorseChaos



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Also the misadventures of Genji's love life, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Deadlock Gang, Friends to Lovers, Multi, R76 if you squint, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Young Jesse McCree/Young Hanzo Shimada
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-03 13:08:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15819516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorseChaos/pseuds/NorseChaos
Summary: Jesse McCree finds himself in Japan on business, and in entertaining himself, finds beauty where he certainly wasn't expecting it, a beauty so profound that it haunts him for decades. Happenstance brings them together again, and Jesse finds that time changes a lot of things, not always for the best.





	1. Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in the works for a while, but I finally have time to work on it. There won't be a regular upload schedule though; just uploading as I go. And I have no idea how long it'll end up being either. It's all just one big surprise.
> 
> This is set in the same time as Overwatch, and a few years before in the earlier chapters, just in a universe where Overwatch was never a thing and everybody is off living their lives. I've also taken most of Blackwatch, Talon, and a few other strays, and made them a part of the Deadlock Gang just as an excuse to have them all in the same place, really.
> 
> Canon age differences are also fudged with a little, just so the members of the Deadlock Gang are all of a decent age to be, y'know, killing people.
> 
> This is also very slowly being beta'd, though I'm trying to be really careful while proof reading, so please bare with any mistakes.
> 
> I'll stop bothering you now. Enjoy.

               Jesse didn’t consider himself a bad person. Morally flexible, maybe, but not bad. And he thought the same of all the people around him; they were all just men and women doing what they had to in order to survive. If the outside world called them criminals, then that was their problem. He didn’t make a habit of asking people about how they came to the Deadlock Gang, he simply understood that sometimes you had to make the best of the hand life dealt you. He liked to think he had made a fair deal of his lot in life; Jesse had lost his parents at a young age and the Gang had taken him in, for reasons he was still unsure of. He’d had to prove himself desperately for years and his elders didn’t go easy on him simply because he was a child, but it had paid off, and now he had forged himself a comfortable reputation within the Gang. He wouldn’t say he was Reyes’ favourite, but he was convinced their fearless leader had a soft spot for him. He didn’t get asked to do half as much grunt work around the hideout as he used to, and Reyes didn’t talk down to him all the time anymore. And now he was twenty-one and very much an adult, he was allowed to come and go as he pleased, to their makeshift shooting range or even out to the nearby town for a drink. He was comfortable here, and as long as that remained the way of things, he wasn’t about to kick up a fuss.

 

               These were Jesse’s quiet contemplations as the day slowly rolled on around him. It was another sweltering afternoon and he was spending it the best way he knew how, kicked back in a chair outside the mess hall with his battered old hat pulled down over his face. He was in the blissful state between sleep and full consciousness, and was relishing in the momentary quiet, until someone reached under the brim of his hat and flipped it up. Jesse opened his eyes and scrambled to catch his hat before it slipped from his head. He winced in the sudden light as he stood and saw who it was that had interrupted him.

               “Morrison, fancy seein’ you here,” he said with his most charming smirk as he made a point of replacing his hat. Jack only smiled briefly in the very corners of his mouth, as though it were more a formality than anything else.

               “I thought I’d find you lazing around here.”

               “Oh? To what do we owe this gracious visit?”

               Jack rolled his eyes, “Don’t flatter yourself, McCree.”

               Jesse sighed with a smile and waited patiently for Jack to say his piece.

               “I know it’s not my place to say, but I heard that Gabriel will be keeping an eye on you in the coming weeks.”

               “When isn’t he?” Jesse chuckled.

               Jack didn’t groan, but Jesse was sure he wanted to, “We know you think you’re a charmer and all that, but you push your luck sometimes, and you know it.”

               Jesse feigned offense, though he knew it was partly true. But he couldn’t help it if occasionally pushing someone’s buttons was the only way to entertain himself on long, boring days in such a stuffy old hideout.

               “Just keep your nose clean for next few weeks, alright?”

               “Why is that?”

               Jack frowned, “He just doesn’t need you causing any more trouble for him than usual.”

               “So, he’s sending you to do his babysitting for him now, that it?”

               “I’m trying to do you a favour,” Jack said gruffly.

               “I know, I know, and I appreciate it. Just wonderin’ why, is all.”

               Morrison seemed to relax a little, “You’re the only person around here I can tolerate for any amount of time. Besides, Gabriel has faith in you, and I think it’s well earned, despite your demeanour and that shit eating grin.”

               “Aw, I knew you liked me. Still, that’s all still mighty cryptic.”

               “Just stay out of trouble.”

 

               And without another word, Jack span on his heel and walked purposefully away, towards the bunkhouse. Jesse was confused, but then again, a lot of things about Jack confused him; Reyes had brought Morrison to the hideout one day and announced he was staying. Nobody questioned him when he explained that Jack was there as a kind of business advisor, said he had connections, and was an ex-military man, so not to piss him off. The last part came with a pointed glare in Jesse’s direction. Since then he could often be seen wandering the camp, delivering Reyes’ advice and orders. He fit in just fine even though he seemed as far removed from their strange criminal world as he could possibly be. Jesse figured it was because he treated them like people. He never got violent, or raised his voice, didn’t step on any toes and knew when to leave well enough alone. Jesse respected him for that. His respect was more well earned than the simple fear that Reyes inspired in the residents.

               Jesse decided it was best not to try and comprehend the minds of his superiors, for the sake of his own sanity if nothing else. Instead, he sat in the warmth of the slowly setting sun until his stomach began to growl at him. He didn’t realise how hungry doing nothing all day could make a man. He kicked his chair back under the nearby canopy and slowly made his way towards the mess hall.

               It wasn’t quite dinner time yet, so most residents were still milling about the hideout, seeing to their own business. That meant that the hall was blissfully quiet when Jesse stepped inside. There were a few men working the kitchen, who were taking a drink and a smoke since it was so empty. It was a well-known fact that even these poor saps who had volunteered to take kitchen duty got bored during the quieter hours. Jesse nodded to them as he passed by, wishing them a good afternoon, and scooped up his own plateful of good old mashed ‘taters and gravy. It wasn’t much, but it was one of his personal favourites. There were plenty of free benches, littered only with small clusters of residents and the odd individual eating alone. Jesse sucked through his teeth as he took his time to find a seat. His eyes soon fell on a familiar looking red-head, nose buried in a stack of papers as she ate.

 

               “Afternoon, doctor.”

               The woman looked up, and looked back down to her papers almost instantly, seemingly uninterested. Jesse poked his mashed potatoes a little, taking a few bites before he looked back up to her.

               “Here, Moira, Reyes likes you right?”

               Moira sighed, and put her fork down. Her head lilted to one side as she rested her chin on steepled fingers.

               “Don’t beat around the bush now, Jesse. What do you want?”

               Jesse chuckled a little sheepishly, “Sorry, shoulda known you’d see right through me.”

               There was a quite hum of agreement from Moira’s side of the table.

               “Jack came over to me earlier, said Reyes couldn’t afford any more on his plate these next couple weeks. Know why?”

               Moira raised a slender brow, “Poor bugger can’t help himself, I suppose,” she chuckled, “I can’t say I know much more; I keep out of the boys’ hair if I can help it. But word around the bunkhouse is that something big is coming. Our big break, if the rumours are to be believed.”

               “Big break?”

               “Yes. Morrison’s ‘connections’ are evidently paying dividends at long last. Lord knows who they are though.”

               “They think we’re gonna make big money? What is it, a deal or somethin’?”

               “I’m afraid I don’t know. Reyes and Morrison have kept it from all of us. Though, that in itself suggests to me that they believe it will be quite lucrative.”

               “Really, they ain’t said a thing?”

               Moira shook her head, “Not a thing. I know they aren’t fond of socialising usually, but lately I’ve been seeing the office lights on late when I’m coming back from the medical hall. They just tell me they’re planning repairs on the hidout or a change in rotas or something similar.”

               Jesse frowned, and chewed thoughtfully. Things were never really kept secret around these parts. On the rare occasion that Reyes decided to keep plans under wraps, they had been big heists, or large inside jobs that had taken months of planning on his part. But even then, he had told his closest confidants, and Moira was usually one of them.

               “Anything else I can help you with?”

               “No, thanks,” Jesse looked Moira over for a second, “You want me to leave you alone now?”

               “That would be grand.”

               Jesse chuckled, and pulled himself out from the bench, “Thanks, doc.”

               “It’s no trouble,” Moira said, already waving him away and turning back to her papers.

 

               Jesse took himself off to a quiet corner of the room to finish his dinner. He felt like he had a lot to think about all of a sudden. He could understand Reyes keeping certain plans secret, but he was curious as to what Jack’s ‘contacts’ had to do with any of it, and why Jack thought he needed to know something was happening. But in the end, all he could do was sit and wait. He wasn’t the type to stress about these kinds of things, and he had faith that in time everything would come out and it wouldn’t be nearly as ominous as his head was making it all feel. He rolled his shoulders to stretch them out and enjoyed his dinner. He slipped the plate and cutlery back over the counter when he was done and took himself towards the bunkhouse.

               The sun was finally disappearing behind the craggy mountains in the distance and the air was finally turning chill. Jesse made the brisk walk to the bunkhouse, where others were already getting ready for bed after a long day of work. Jesse wished most of them a good night before he changed into some warmer sleeping clothes and wrapped himself up in his old, scratchy blanket. It had become a strange kind of day in the course of one simple conversation. But he would have to wait and see what the next few weeks brought. He buried his face in to his pillow and braced himself for the cold desert night time. He quickly drifted off to sleep, his dreams taking his mind off the frustrations of reality.


	2. Strings Pulled Taught

       

               Jesse rolled over and groggily swatted at his alarm clock as it squawked angrily at him from his bedside cabinet. On the fourth swing he knocked it from the table, but on its landing, it clicked and stopped, and that was good enough for him. He groaned in relief as the ringing faded from his ears. He briefly considered that it might be broken again, but that was a problem for his future self. He pulled his blanket up over his shoulders and huddled down for just five more minutes of quiet rest. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans. Jesse was able to ignore the sounds of his bunkmates around him, but when the door at the far end was flung open with a clatter, even he had to prop himself up on his elbows to see what the commotion was about.

               He found Jack Morrison silhouetted against the bright late morning sun, as intimidating a presence as ever with his arms crossed over his chest and his feet wide apart.

               “Everybody out. Lots to do.”

               Jesse sighed, rolled over and pulled his covers back over himself. Jack turning up to turf them all out first thing was nothing special. Ever since he had arrived, and Reyes had realised he finally had a spare pair of hands, Morrison was sent to wake them up, clear them out of the food hall at night, run messages around camp, even fetch Reyes’ drinks. Jesse listened as Jack greeted everyone he passed with a short ‘Good morning’.

               “Up and out, McCree. ‘Everybody’ includes you.”

               “Just five more minutes.”

               “What did I say about staying out of trouble?”

               Jesse sighed, and reluctantly sat up. The scratchy wool blanket pooled in his lap. He stretched his arms up over his head, then out in front of himself and looked at Jack expectantly.

               “What’s all this work you’re talkin’ about? We building a swimmin’ pool finally? An extension on Reyes’ office? I know he’s been talking about that for a while.”

               “There’s packing to be done. We’re cleaning the place up.”

               “Since when has anyone cared about bein’ tidy?”

               For a moment, it looked like Jack may take the bait, but he huffed out a breath and straightened up.

               “Up. Now. Come on.” Jack turned around with a rap of his knuckles against the metal bed post. He looked ready to step away, but stopped, his gaze fixed on the floor. He ducked down and stood back up with Jesse’s alarm clock in his hand. He carelessly tossed it on to the bed and walked away.

               Jesse watched the older man leave, and the door shut behind him before he fell back in to his mattress and buried himself under his blankets again, ignoring the clatter of his clock being knocked to the floor again. He was going to get his five extra minutes sleep if it killed him.

 

               It was fifteen minutes later when Jesse finally stumbled sleepily in to the large hangar they used as storage space. It was stacked high with broken crates and disintegrating carboard boxes full of weapons, tools, materials, anything they needed around the hideout. Jesse was sure there was even a car or two somewhere in the labyrinth of boxes and containers.

               When he arrived, he found Jack leaning in the wide doorway, keeping half an eye on those that were currently hauling boxes and checking their contents.

               “Nice of you to join us.”

               Jesse tipped his hat and mumbled a “Good mornin’”.

               “You can help with sifting through the boxes. Anything we don’t need gets thrown out,” he gestured vaguely in the direction of a cluster of overflowing boxes beside the door, “Anything we need, we’re reorganising and replacing at the back of the hangar.”

               Jesse blanched momentarily, his still sleep addled mind taking a second to catch up with Jack’s words.

               “Seems like an awful lot of effort.”

               “We just decided it was finally time to clear out this old place. It’s been long enough,” Jack said flatly with a slight tilt of his head.

               Jesse shook his head, “I still don’t get it, but alright.”

               “This must be more interesting than sitting on your ass all day. You’ll have fun I’m sure.”

               Jack was cut off by a shrill giggle from somewhere in the mess of crates. Jack smirked slightly.

               “See, the Junkers are having a great time.”

               Jesse frowned, scanning Morrison’s face to see if there was any chance of him caving. There was none, of course. He sighed, pulled his hat down to hide his furrowed brow. He huffed out a breath as he walked away into the mess of boxes, following the manic chortling.

 

               He found the two Junkers in question surrounded by a what felt like a fort of crates. It probably was; the Junkers had probably stacked the boxes that way themselves. Jamison was buried in a box, his upper half somehow wormed between the contents of the crate, his legs flailing mindlessly. Mako was sat between two larger stacks of boxes, reading some battered old manual he must have found.

               “Mornin’ fellas.”

               There was a quiet grunt from Mako’s direction, and a muffled “G’day” from inside Jamison’s box. Looking around, Jesse was sure they were just moving mess from one box to another. He wasn’t sure what else he would expect from the two Junkers. He shrugged and pulled a water damaged cardboard box from on top of one of the stacks and started sorting through it, ignoring the triumphant cackle as Jamison emerged from his box clutching what looked like some scrap metal. He was still drowsy and wasn’t sure if coherent speech was something he could manage with the two eccentric Aussies. He kept to himself as best he could as he slowly woke up properly. He made surprising progress in sorting boxes full of scrap, important looking papers, and a toolkit.

               Going back to the stack for another box, Jesse found Jamison sat cross legged on the floor, tongue stuck out, trying to build something out of a small pile of scrap he had salvaged and tools from the one box he’d apparently managed to sort before getting distracted. The Junker looked up from his work long enough to meet Jesse’s eye.

               “Oi, mate, what’s this I hear about Morrison giving you cute little messages from the big guy?”

               Jesse stopped, dropping the box he was holding to the floor and standing up, stretching his back out as he thought.

               “Sorry, can’t say I actually know. I was askin’ around, but nobody seems to know what’s up.” Jesse was still a little hung up on his and Jack’s conversation the previous day, but he was trying to keep his mind on the task at hand to stop himself thinking on it too hard.

               “Saw you talking to that stuck up scientist, didn’t she know? She always knows.”

               Jesse shook his head, “’Fraid not, not this time anyways.”

               “Crickey. That’s something. You don’t happen to think it has anything to do with all this lug work they’re making us do?”

               Jesse pondered, and thought out loud, “I don’t know what they’d need all this space for. Unless we were taking in stock of somethin’ but search me if I know what it’d be.”

               “Trade?” Came Mako’s low, rumbling voice.

               “We ain’t traded with anyone in years. Even people out of state have heard not to get involved with us by now.”

               Jamison whistled loudly, relaxing against the back of the box he was sat beside. Jesse considered Mako’s suggestion. Moira had mentioned something about Jack’s ‘contacts’. But who could they possibly be to still agree to a trade deal with their dysfunctional little gang. He sucked through his teeth.

               “Whatever it is, looks like you gotta be on your best behaviour, mate. Have fun with that.”

               “Just me?” Jesse had a thought that he hadn’t considered before, “Jack didn’t tell you the same thing?”

               Mako shook his head and Jamison gave him that slightly distracted blank stare that made Jesse feel he’d already forgotten what they were talking about.

               “Weird,” Jesse muttered under his breath. He shook his head and went back to the box he had been moving, leaving Jamison to his tinkering and Mako to his reading.

 

 He made his way through ten or so boxes before Jack appeared and allowed them a lunch break, alongside Moira of all people, who set down three mugs of steaming coffee for them. She nodded dismissively as they thanked her before she vanished deeper in to the hangar, distracted by some disused lab equipment she had spotted.

               Jack hung around for a moment or two longer, and even as he drank his coffee, Jesse could feel the old man watching him. It wasn’t anything new for him to be watched so closely, by Jack in particular. Reyes had long ago learned that most of Jesse’s joking and prodding was harmless, or if nothing else had given up trying to reign him in, but Jack still wasn’t convinced. Jesse could almost feel himself holding his breath before the old soldier finally backed off, heading back towards the door.

               Jesse looked back to find Jamison and Mako watching him carefully. Jamison was smirking wildly.

               “Yeah, you’re in real deep shite, mate.”

               Mako nodded silently beside him.

               Jesse deflated. He knew their words were mere jokes and speculation, but he could easily believe there was some truth to them. If he was going to get yelled at or punished for something he’d rather they just get it over with already and let him get on with his life instead of whatever mind games Jack was playing on Reyes’ behalf.

 

               He sighed and took off another large box to sort through. He threw useless scraps of wood and empty cannisters of god knows what and kept a handful of power tools and a first aid kit. He kept a few odd bits of metal and handed them to Jamison as he passed. The Aussie giggled with glee and thanked Jesse briefly before eagerly adding them to whatever contraption he was constructing. He made it through another handful of larger boxes before the sun sunk low enough to glare through the low hangar door and getting in to Jesse’s eyes as he worked. He could only pull the brim of his hat down so far before he had to call it a day. The Junkers were still busy, Jamison still talking Mako’s ear off, as Jesse slunk out of the hangar and once again towards the mess hall. His stomach was grumbling angrily at him, and he was ready for a full plate and a cool drink.

               “McCree.”

               Jesse froze so abruptly he kicked up a could of dust around his boots. The calm, deep growl of a voice behind him was the one voice that had been hardwired in Jesse’s brain to override any kind of thought. It was the one voice he was prone to actually listen to. He took a breath and turned slowly on his heel.

               In the dim light of the sunset that reached them over the top of the gorge and the weak glow of the exterior lights of the mess hall, stood Reyes, feet planted firmly in the sand, arms crossed over his broad chest. His face, as ever, was unreadable, his dark eyes boring through Jesse’s. His brow set in a firm frown. Now Jesse was sure. Jamison was right; he was in deep shit.

               “A word, please.”


	3. Surprising Consequences

               Swallowing back the sinking feeling in his gut, Jesse ducked his head and followed in Reyes’ confident strides towards the far side of the hideout. Reyes’ personal bunkhouse and office was situated at the base of the gorge, so close to the rocky wall that it almost looked like it was built in to it. The rest of the hideout was well maintained under his orders, but since Reyes, Jack and a few others only ever passed through his house, it was a little better kept.

               Jesse pulled his hat off as he stepped through the door and was lead down the narrow hall past the living quarters to the back of the house and Reyes’ office. He was familiar with it, having spent many an afternoon there through his younger years. There had been a time when Reyes let Jesse shadow him, keeping an eye on the kid himself since he didn’t trust any of the others. Then he hit puberty, started causing trouble, and Jesse was effectively barred from Reyes’ building, aside from the many occasions he was called in to get a rollicking from him or Jack.

               It wasn’t like a traditional office, more like a hub of planning and part-time storage. There were fold out tables butted up against the walls, all covered in papers and maps and hand scrawled notes. More maps and lists were pinned to the walls above, mixed in with a few photos here and there of people Jesse didn’t recognise. There were two chairs and a low coffee table in the corner to the right of the door, and that’s where Reyes led him. Without waiting for an invitation, Jesse collapsed in to the creaking wooden chair, grateful for a break after a day of lifting and sorting. Reyes slowly sat himself in the chair opposite, perching nearly on the edge. He watched Jesse for a second, looking him over, until he spoke.

               “Jack spoke to you yesterday?”

               “Yes, sir.”

               “Do you know why?”

               Jesse chuckled, “’Fraid not. It’s been drivin’ me wild ever since, though.”

               Jesse could have sworn he saw the briefest smile tug at the corner of Reyes’ lips. If he weren’t still waiting to be yelled at, he might have pointed it out.

               “We’re on the brink of securing a trade deal with some incredibly important people,” Jesse frowned and leaned forward in his chair, curious and more than a little confused as to where this was all going.

               “To close the deal, we’re going to go and meet them. You’re coming with us.”

               Jesse opened his mouth to try and say something, but words failed him. The hint of a smile on Reyes’ lips grew just a fraction more at Jesse’s bemused expression.

               “You’ve been lounging around long enough. And you’ve been here long enough that I trust you at my back over some of the other kiss asses around here.”

               Jesse frowned, but as he thought, he began to see that Reyes might have a point; sure, he spent his days off sitting around the hideout doing a whole bunch of not a lot, but on heists, hold ups or transport jobs, Jesse threw himself at it. It wasn’t out of some need to further prove himself since he felt like trying any harder to get on Reyes’ good side would only result in looking like he was kissing ass. He was just the type to enjoy his work. He relished in the adrenaline of the fight and the satisfaction of a job well done. Slowly, he nodded, starting to see Reyes’ thinking.

               “Alright,” he muttered, waiting for the other man to continue.

               “It’s just a small group of us. I’m not expecting trouble, but I want my best shots nearby if it goes to shit. We’ll be there for a few weeks, maybe a month at most. I’ve heard this clan can be a pain in the ass to negotiate with.”

               “So,” Jesse relaxed back into the chair again, the tension slowly dissipating from his shoulders, “What’s so special about this deal that you’re bein’ all secretive about it?”

               “We’ve worked hard to even get this far. I don’t want anyone getting any ideas before everything is final. And if by any chance our partners hear about word spreading, they might retract their offer. It’s all pretty precarious at the moment.”

               “Sounds like real good people to be dealin’ with.”

               Reyes shot him a look that told him to be more careful with what he said, “They happen to be a part of the Yakuza, as far as we can tell. They’re a big deal. If you so much as breathe funny in their direction while we’re there I’ll kick you back here from Hanamura myself. Got it?”

               The snarl in Reyes’ voice made Jesse sit up straighter, “Yes, sir.”

               Reyes seemed to take Jesse’s apology and relax a fraction, “I want you to tell Lacroix, Sombra, Ogundimu and doctor O’Deorain to get packing. With any luck we’ll move out by the end of the week.”

               “What, Jack not comin’ with us?” Jesse asked with a wry smile.

               “Morrison is staying here to keep everyone else in check while I’m gone.” Reyes replied flatly.

               Jesse breathed out a laugh, “That everythin’?”

               Reyes stood from the chair, wordlessly giving Jesse permission to do the same.

               “Don’t make me regret taking you on this job before we even leave. Got it?”

               Jesse smiled wide and nodded, “Got it. I’ll let the others know,” he glanced out of the window and saw their little portion of the gorge bathed in low orange light, “Should be in the mess hall about now.”

               There was an affirmative grunt behind him as he headed to the door, and he looked back to find Reyes already leaning over on of the tables, rifling through papers. He slipped through the door, and almost bumped in to Jack, who he found loitering in the hall. Even if he was occasionally hard to read, Jesse was sure he had been stood there for a while, though he wasn’t the type to eavesdrop; he was most likely just waiting for Reyes to be done so they could talk, or whatever it was they did together.

               “Evenin’.”

               “What did you do?” Jack asked, glancing back to the door to Reyes’ office. Jesse chuckled, and was sure he was looking smug.

               “Nothin’ actually. Kept my nose clean just like you asked. Now I’m finally in on your little loop,” he wiggled his finger in a circle motion as he laughed and headed back down the hall to the front door.

               “You kids have fun,” he called after himself. He could hear Jack’s annoyed grumbles even as the front door swung back behind him and he nudged it closed with the heel of his boot. He tipped his hat back on to his head and crossed the yard towards the mess hall.

 

               There was a loud background chatter as Jesse stepped in through the open doors where a few men and women were milling about with cigarettes lit and drinks in hand. Jesse waved the smoke from his face and stepped inside. He scanned the room for who he was looking for, figuring now was as good a time as any to deliver Reyes’ message since everyone was in the same place. If he left it until tomorrow he was sure he would either forget or just not be able to find anyone.

 

               His eyes first fell on the broad form of Akande slowly making his way down the line with his tray, taking hearty portions of most of what was on offer. Just from the smell at the door Jesse could tell it was some kind of meaty broth with steamed vegetables and bread. He grabbed a tray and cut in the line beside Akande, ignoring the curses and threats from those behind him. He held his tray out and let the server plop a serving of the broth into a bowl and set it carelessly down on his tray. He didn’t bother with the vegetables or the bread roll. He simply sidled up to Akande and nudged him in the side, gently, for fear of being punched in to next week. The towering man looked down to Jesse and raised a brow.

               “Evenin’,” Jesse said with a smile and a tip of his hat.

               “What is it?”

               “Straight to the point, sure. Reyes wants you to pack for a trip,” Jesse tried to keep his voice as low as he could while still loud enough to be heard. Most people weren’t paying much attention to their conversation, but if word got out, he was sure Reyes would boot him from the Gang there and then, and that was a best-case scenario. He shuddered.

               “A trip?” Akande asked, the curiosity in his voice betraying him as he turned to face Jesse properly. He was even more imposing from this angle, but Jesse shrugged it off.

               “I can’t say much about it, but we’re headin’ out by the end of the week. Gotta be ready. And keep it hush hush, y’hear?”

               Akande just looked at him, studying him and trying to make sense of what he had been told. Jesse didn’t trust himself to explain it properly and didn’t have the time. He patted the larger man’s arm gingerly.

               “Good talk, man. See y’round.”

               And without another word he turned on his heel and made out like he was looking for a seat. He hadn’t really done anything to piss Akande off since he’d arrived a month or so back, but he didn’t want to risk it, and he didn’t know the guy well enough to know his tolerance for bullshit.

 

               His eyes soon fell on Amélie and Sombra, sitting next to one another. By the murderous expression on the French woman’s face, Sombra was talking her ear off. He swerved between table ends and the occasionally outstretched leg and abandoned mug on the floor and slipped in a space on the bench opposite the pair. They were sitting in the quieter corner of the hall, most likely Amélie’s choice.

               “Good evenin’ ladies.”

               Amélie merely grunted in his direction, but Sombra offered him a smile and a wave of her fingers. Out of most people around the hideout, he’d have to admit Sombra was one of the few he’d admit actually liking. The Junkers were alright, he supposed, but only in short, controlled bursts.

               “What can we do for you, mi amigo?”

               Amélie looked offended at being spoken for but turned her gaze up to Jesse expectantly all the same. He leaned in a little, still trying to keep this whole affair from prying ears.

               “We’re goin’ on a little trip. Reyes wants you to pack up and be ready to move out by the end of the week.”

               “Where to?” Sombra asked, interest clearly piqued. Jesse shook his head.

               “Sorry, can’t say. It’s all on the quiet, right? You don’t tell no one about all this.”

               “So mysterious. Sounds like fun, huh?” Sombra nudged Amélie in the side, only to receive a pointed glare. She slowly turned back to Jesse.

               “Why are you doing this? Isn’t Morrison the one to send messages?”

               Jesse shrugged, finally taking a mouthful of his broth. It had cooled down on his journey over here enough to be edible.

               “Just had a meetin’ with Reyes, he asked me to let y’all know.”

               “Good to know all you need for special treatment is a decade of kissing the big man’s ass,” Sombra said with a barely hidden smile.

               “Hey. I’ve been here for thirteen years, ‘scuse you.”

               Sombra held her hands up in mock innocence, “Lo siento.”

               Amélie shook her head at both of them and busied herself with finishing her dinner. Jesse decided to stay, chatting intermittently with Sombra over the rest of his own meal, enjoying the warmth that the stodgy broth spread through his bones. The ache from the stress and the sheer weirdness of the past two days was finally wearing off. The relaxed conversation with Sombra, despite the infrequent chiding from Amélie, was a welcome respite.


	4. First Time for Everything

               He finally finished his meal, said his goodbyes to the two women and left to return his tray and dish. He laughed at the discouraged look the French woman gave him as he left, as Sombra’s full attention now turned to her once more. Jesse chuckled as he left. He dumped his dirty dish and spoon in the collection bucket and slipped his tray back on to the stack. About half an hour had passed, and it was dark outside finally. It made the fluorescent light seeping through the blinds of the medical ward stand out all the more against the dull light of the moon that seeped in to the canyon, tinted a dull orange by the sand. McCree figured that Moira wouldn’t have shown up to dinner. He was sure she only ate once every few weeks. It explained her gaunt figure. Jesse adjusted his hat on his head as he strolled across the yard towards the battered single storey building, set against the canyon wall similar to Reyes’ quarters that was the medical ward. It was the oldest building in the hideout, but Moira refused to let it be called the medical ‘shack’ as many of them had suggested.

               Moira was usually strict about who was allowed to come and go through her ward. But Jesse had been around long enough, and – he liked to think – worn her down enough to the point where he was pretty well allowed to come and go as he pleased. So, he fearlessly rapped his knuckles against the door before he opened the door anyway and stepped inside. His eyes stung for a second as they adjusted to the glaring white strip lights above him. He followed the sound of rustling further in the room until he found the older woman nearly drowning in stacks of paper. She didn’t seem bothered by it, however. She barely flinched at the sound of Jesse’s boots on the hard-tiled floor.

               “Evenin’, doc.”

               There was a moment of silence as Moira continued to study the papers on the desk in front of her. Her eyes were scanning the papers frantically and her long fingers were drumming the table irritable as she leant against it but the rest of her felt perfectly composed. Finally, she shoved herself back from the metal table, and spun around. She seemed to relax somewhat against the table again when she saw that it was Jesse. Her thin lips spread a fraction wider.

               “Good evening, Jesse. Not in the mess hall with the others?”

               “Just got finished. I actually wanted to talk to you; message from the boss man.”

               Moira raised an eyebrow expectantly.

               “We’re goin’ on holiday.”

               “Holiday?”

               “You were right, they were plannin’ somethin’. We’re headin’ out by the end of the week with any luck.”

               “Who is we?”

               “Reyes, you, me, and a few others.”

               “No Jack?”

               “Morrison is staying behind to keep an eye on the rest of them.”

               Moira nodded to herself thoughtfully.

               “Boss man wants it to be peaceful but if it all goes to shit, you might wanna bring your…” Jesse gestured in a vague imitation of Moira’s biotic grasp.

               Moira’s lip twitched in a near smile, “Alright. Thank you, Jesse. Anything else?”

               Jesse hesitated, not wanting to forget anything. Reyes would have his hide if he did.

               “Don’t think so, ma’am. Just to be ready to head out by the end of the week.”

               “Where are we headed?”

               Jesse frowned, trying to recall the name of the place.

               “Hanamura. Why? Wanna know whether you should pack your swim suit?”

               Moira rolled her eyes, but she relaxed against the table and chuckled along with Jesse.

               “I didn’t realise our military friend had friends in such exotic places.”

               Jesse could offer no more than a shrug, “Didn’t ask, wasn’t told.”

               “Smart. Lord knows Gabriel gets antsy while he’s planning something big.”

               Jesse found a relatively clear spot on a desk beside him and leant his hips against the edge.

               “And this sure did sound big. Not ever sure what we’re supposed to be tradin’.”

               “Time will tell, I suppose.”

               “Won’t complain if there is a beach nearby though. Purely for the good of the team, y’know. We could all use an afternoon off. Just to recalibrate, of course.”

               The lab fell in to a relative quiet. The yelling and hollering from the mess hall could be heard even from the opposite side of the yard, and there was some contraption that Jesse couldn’t make head nor tails of bubbling quietly towards the back of the room. It looked like what she had salvaged from storage earlier. She had cleaned it up well during the afternoon.

 

               “You’re not a bad kid, Jesse.”

               Moira’s voice spooked Jesse from his thoughts, and he looked up to see the woman watching him with a curiously gentle expression.

               “Oh. Well, thank you kindly, doc.”

               “Don’t let Reyes fool you. He has a real soft spot for your antics. I think we all do.”

               Jesse looked her over, unsure of where she was going. Moira wasn’t usually the type to get suddenly sentimental.

               “You have hope. Something a lot of us don’t have anymore. Keep a hold of it.”

               He frowned, not really sure of what to make of this sudden turn. He fell back on what he knew.

               “You’re gettin’ soft.”

               Moira’s face snapped back in to her usual displeased frown and she stood to her full height again.

               “I am no such thing. Go on, out,” she huffed with a gesture towards the door.

               Jesse chuckled to himself and tipped his hat back on to his head as he back slowly towards the exit.

               “It’s gonna be a treat workin’ with you, doc.”

               “Out.”

 

               Jesse laughed his way to the bunkhouse. He felt a lot better compared to the night before now that he knew what was going on behind Reyes’ door. If he was honest with himself, something he usually avoided if he could help it, he was excited; he was finally getting to play with the big boys. He’d been on some big heists before, a few interesting escort jobs, but this was Reyes admitting that he was one of the best, that he was reliable and savvy enough to be trusted with something this important. He knew Reyes would never say it out loud, so this was as good as he was probably going to get. Jesse knew his ego didn’t need any more stroking than he already gave it, but it was a giddiness that went straight to his head. He chuckled as he flopped back on to his bed with a grateful sigh. He kicked off his boots and wriggled out of his clothes as he wrapped himself in his blankets. It was late, and packing could wait until tomorrow.

 

               Jack didn’t come to wake them up the next morning, something Jesse would forever be grateful for. He lounged around in his creaky old bed until the sun was finally high enough to make it in to the canyon and through the bunkhouse windows to force him out of his covers. It was a bright morning and the light burned even through his eyelids. He rolled out of bed and found that he was one of the last few in the bunkhouse. Nothing uncommon in that, he’d sleep in whenever he could. He lazily pulled on some fresh clothes, making sure to stay in the patches of sunlight to stay warm as he dressed.

               Once he was up, washed and dressed, he dug around blindly under his bed to find his battered old suitcase. He flung it on to his bed and set about gathering his meagre possessions and dumping them haphazardly in to the case. Clothes, wash bag, towel, an old book for if he got hopelessly bored, and a few odds and ends from his bedside cabinet. There was still a lot of space in his suitcase, and everything in there rattled and slid about as he closed it and leant it against the end of his bed. He never thought about how little he owned, since the hideout provided everything else he needed. Anything else, the residents had to share. He didn’t mind if it decreased the chance of someone wanting to steal his stuff.

               When he was done and finally stepped out in to the warm afternoon, the sun was already peaking in the sky. He crossed the yard to the mess hall, which was blissfully quiet after the lunchtime rush, and continued his life as normal. All there was now was to wait for Reyes to give the word. Now he had an excuse for lounging around the hideout if Morrison came sniffing around again; he was simply making sure he wasn’t busy and ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

               To his surprise, Morrison didn’t bother him at all for the next few days. He was left to do as he pleased, which mostly meant hanging around the shooting range to keep his eye in. He wanted to be in top shape for their trip to Japan, not that he doubted his talent. But he didn’t want to get sloppy and let Amélie make him look bad in front of their fancy new business partners. He was determined to get this right, not that he would admit it.

 

               It was four days later that Sombra came by the shooting range to collect him and bring him back to Reyes’ office. Amélie, Akande and Moira were all already there when they arrived, along with Reyes who was stood in front of his desk, arms folded across his chest, and Morrison, close by his side as ever. It was a short meeting, blunt and to the point. Reyes wouldn’t let it be anything else.

               “Our hosts have very kindly organised our transportation, so concealing weapons will only be a minimal concern until we touch down. We’re heading to a private airport first thing tomorrow. Jack will pick you all up. I’ll meet you there. We’ll discuss our plans on the way there, we’ve got twelve hours to kill so we may as well use them. I don’t want anyone else to overhear. I’m sure you all understand.

               “And you’re not to tell anyone else about this. If word gets out beyond this canyon, we’ll all have to pay for it, so keep your goddamn mouths shut, and we’ll all get along just fine. We’ll be gone a couple of weeks at least, so people will notice. But if anyone asks, we’re scouting a heist across the country.”

               There was a quiet murmur of agreement from the five stood in front of him. Jesse couldn’t speak for the others, but he sure was feeling uncomfortable under Reyes’ gaze. It was a relief when they were dismissed with a curt wave. The five of them filtered through the door that Morrison held open for them all. It was late, a good few hours after dinner, and with an early morning ahead of him, Jesse headed straight to bed after a few short goodbyes to the others as they left.

 

               As promised, Jack shoved the bunkhouse doors open at some ungodly hour the next morning. The other men around Jesse hissed and complained, even after Jack assured them it was only Jesse that was getting up. A few looked up to watch him as he grabbed his suitcase and left, but most of them buried themselves further under their covers to blot out the rattling of Jesse’s luggage. The previous night he had tucked his trusty Peacekeeper in to the bundles of clothes to keep it safe in transit. He felt naked without it sat on his hip, but he knew it wouldn’t be too far out oof reach on the plane, so he’d suffer for the short drive from the hideout to the airport. The five of them were walked outside the hideout and piled in to a people carrier. Jack drove them in silence. The people in the back with Jesse weren’t the best of friends with each other, and there were a few who had shorter fuses than the rest. If anyone so much as breathed wrong in someone’s direction, this could all go up in smoke, no matter how much Reyes had threatened them. Jesse could only hope he wouldn’t be the one to snap. He was a laid-back person, something he took great pride in, but that didn’t mean he would take shit lying down. If someone started on him they’d find a loaded barrel against their temple quicker than they could blink. He took a deep breath as they all tumbled out of the car half an hour later. He wouldn’t be the one to ruin this.

               They stepped out on to the runway of a small airport in the middle of the desert, with a small jet already waiting for them. Jesse couldn’t help but let out a low whistle. There was no denying this thing was fancy. Fancier than anything Jesse had ever seen, though that wasn’t saying much. Reyes stayed outside with Jack, having a hushed conversation while the others filtered inside the plane. The inside was just as luxurious; three plush leather seats lined either side, with a small swivel table and cabinet beside each one. Cupholders were set in to the small shelf that ran down either wall. Towards the back was a minifridge and a net full of battered magazines. At the front, just above the low varnished door to the cockpit, was a glossy flat screen that was currently displaying flight statistics. Smaller holo-screens were set in to the arms of each chair. The whole of the interior smelled fresh, like lavender if Jesse had to guess. He moved carefully, afraid that even his presence would dirty up the pristine interior. In fact, everyone seemed cautious. Even Reyes was moving with a little more care than usual when he finally joined them all inside. Only Amélie seemed to settle in to her seat like she belonged there.

 

               Once everyone was seated, Reyes knocked on the door to the pilot and told them they were ready. Almost instantly the engines buzzed to life. The take off was quick and smooth, and once they were in the air, Jesse reclined in his seat and stared out of the window. He only half listened to Reyes as he laid out their plan. It had been a long time since he’d flown anywhere, and he’d never been out of the US before, so he was determined to relax and enjoy himself at least a little.

               “This is first and foremost a business meeting. You walk around empty handed. If you feel really paranoid, keep your weapons concealed. We’re on thin ice as it is - any wrong move and this whole thing goes to shit - so keep your trigger fingers deep in your damn pockets.”

               “Who are we visiting?” Sombra asked from her seat towards the back. She sounded only half interested, the rest of her attention on the holo-screen at her chair, her fingers tapping away furiously.

               “The Shimada Clan; they’d give the Yakuza a run for their money. If it’s illegal, you bet your ass they’ll find it, for the right price. Word is they have a few local officials in their pockets too. They’re cagey though. That’s why it took so damn long to arrange a meeting. If I had to guess, them putting on this plane for us was them wanting control, not them being hospitable.”

               “They sound almost as paranoid as you,” Moira offered with a smirk. Reyes glared at her, but she shrugged him off, seemingly not bothered. He continued.

               “They know what they’re doing. This will probably be hard work. I want all of you to stick to me like glue until we have a chance to feel out the place. We can form a more concrete plan once we know where we stand.”

               “What’s the goal here?” Jesse asked.

               Reyes stopped for a second. Jesse guessed he was surprised that he had asked anything. Usually he zoned out during briefings, but he was still determined not to screw up, so he wanted to pay attention.

               “In short, we want to offload all the shit we have in storage since nobody in the States seems to want to deal with us anymore. But if they ask, we have goods that they don’t usually have access to, and we can always procure more. And by my reckoning, it would cost more for them to send their own people to do business in the States than it would to just give us a cut to do it for them. Hopefully they see it that way too.”

               Akande cleared his throat, “What if they don’t?”

               “Then we thank them for their time and leave before they can spill any blood.”

               Akande nodded thoughtfully, and reclined back in to his chair, satisfied.

               Reyes sighed, and when nobody asked any more questions, he finally retreated to the last free seat at the back of the cabin.

 

               It sounded simple enough to Jesse. And he was sure that such an apparently powerful criminal organisation would see the sense in their proposal. Or they at least wouldn’t resort to bloodshed if it did all fall through. But first, he had fifteen hours to kill. He mixed his time with watching whatever was being shown on the screen, staring out of the window at the clouds and being blinded when the sun glinted up at him off of the ocean. Sombra came over to chat for a long while, complaining that Amélie was ignoring her again. Once she disappeared, he occupied himself with a few old cowboy movies he managed to find on his holo-screen. It was a little cramped, but the movie at least blocked out Akande’s snoring.

               His eyes ached by the end of his fourth film, and before he even realised he was sinking back in to his seat and his eyes were falling shut.


	5. Touchdown

               Jesse was less than pleased to be shaken awake. He grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a curse and knocked his hat back from in front of his eyes with the back of his hand. He shook his head and tried to regain his bearings, and found his eyes settling on a particularly smug looking Sombra perched on the small chair-side table in front of him.

               “Mornin’,” Jesse muttered, scrubbing his hands over his face to try and shake off the drowsiness.

               Sombra’s smirk curled further up one corner of her mouth and she quirked a slender brow.

               “Want to see what this Shimada clan is all about?”

               “You been snoopin’ around already?” Jesse chuckled. He shoved himself back to sitting properly in his chair.

               “What else am I supposed to do on a fifteen hour flight, huh?”

               Jesse nodded. He glanced up at the flat screen above the cabin door and saw that, even after his nap, only about six and a half hours had passed since they boarded. He sighed and relaxed back into the creaking leather of the seat.

               “Alright then, what’d you find?”

               Sombra hummed happily and spun the table around to sit right in front of Jesse. She swiped up a holo-screen and pulled a few separate windows up, all filled with news articles, questionable accusations and the occasional censored crime scene pictures. He looked up to her, waiting for her to explain like he knew she wanted to.

               “Reyes wasn’t kidding when he said these guys are paranoid,” Sombra spread a line of smaller windows out underneath the large news articles that showed nothing but criminal line-ups and question marks, “No pictures, no names, nothing has made it in to the media.”

               “They know somethin’s up though, right?”

               “People know there’s some group out there doing something bad. Nobody knows who, and nobody really seems to know why.”

               They probably know the right people to pay to keep this all hush hush.”

               “A family this old has to have friends in interesting places, no?”

               Jesse nodded thoughtfully. He of all people knew how many local officers Reyes had in his pocket thanks to some discreet payment or conveniently embarrassing photo.

               “Anything else?”

               “They’re super old fashioned,” Sombra sighed with a roll of her eyes, “They only operate in Hanamura these days.”

               “Then Reyes’ plan to trade may make sense after all,” Jesse chuckled, “He knows what he’s doing, who knew?”

               Sombra laughed along with him, not caring that Gabriel himself was only a few feet away and almost certainly heard them.

               “Seriously, no pictures or nothin’? We could learn a thing or two from them, sounds like.”

               Sombra shook her head, pointing vaguely to the windows filled with pictures of suspects. It was clearly all speculation.

               “There’s nothing in the media. Though I managed to find out that the whole show is run by one man and his two kids.”

               “So, it’s a family business? Cute.”

               “But that’s all even I could find. They’re meticulous. As much as I hate agreeing with the old man, we need to be careful.”

               “Noted,” Jesse said with a nod, “Could you find anythin’ on the family before? Anyone that married into it? If the boss man has children, there must be a wife, in-laws?”

 

               Sombra waved the screens away and leant back.

               “A woman married in to the family, sure. But they must have paid her folks off, or they are just as criminal as the Shimadas; there’s nothing on her or her relatives. I found birth certificates for a Hanzo and a Genji Shimada in local records, but who knows if they’re legit. Could easily have changed their names. Or these names could be fake. Or they could be different people.” Sombra shrugged.

               “You sure did your research.”

               “Thank you,” Sombra replied with a satisfied grin, “Gabe didn’t want to hear it. Neither did Amélie.”

               “They’re missing out. This is impressive intel you dug up.”

               Sombra chuckled, “I know. Remember it. Still have to work on my technique, though. They’ll realise someone was looking through their system eventually. I’m counting on being out of the country again by then.”

               “That’s awful brave of you.”

               She pulled herself up from the table she was sitting on and waved over her shoulder to Jesse as she walked away. Jesse was always impressed with Sombra’s ‘research’. He had respect for most people’s talents, especially the people sitting with him in the cabin. He was sure they didn’t feel the same about him, but that was their problem as far as he was concerned. Reyes seemed to trust him enough to invite him along, that must mean something. He sighed and deflated in his chair. He was too tired to be thinking much about anything. He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand and stared out of the window as he contemplated Sombra’s findings.

               They didn’t mean too much to him at the minute. This Shimada Clan was clearly more careful about records than the Deadlock Gang were, though as far as the law was concerned, most of their little family never really existed to begin with. He supposed some professional criminal Clan like the Shimadas would have to be extremely careful about leaving a paper trail. He admired the effort it must take. Some quiet part of his brain was considering taking notes, though he wasn’t sure a criminal family would appreciate being probed for their secrets. He’d have to find something else to do to pass the time. Maybe he could take a leaf out of Sombra’s book and just try to make a friend. Though, not some pawn to blackmail and manipulate, just someone to talk with. He’d never really been abroad after all, maybe he could learn a thing or two, pick up the language, see some sights.

               For now, though, he had to pass the remaining six hours. He wasn’t tired anymore after his nap, and from the interesting assortment of snoring coming from behind him, most everyone else was still asleep. He could hear Sombra trying to get Reyes’ attention, and Reyes repeatedly telling her that he was sleeping. Jesse knew Reyes admired Sombra’s skill, but in his defence, he probably already knew whatever she was telling him, and then some. He’d probably heard it from the source, after all.

               Jesse sighed, and slipped down in to his chair, slouching. He absently skimmed through the remaining list of old western films on the holo-screen, but he couldn’t bring himself to watch another. He’d always wondered what his threshold was for Cowboy films, and now he knew it was about four in a row. He logged the fact away in his brain for later and went back to staring out of the window.

 

               He spent the next few hours listening to the conversations behind him. He didn’t consider the people around him ‘friends’, aside from Sombra, and maybe Moira on a good day, so he wasn’t about to strike up a conversation with them in a confined space with no get out for another five hours. So, he determinedly kept himself quiet. He read up a little on Hanamura, looking through photo galleries on the holo-screen. It seemed like a nice place. It was cleaner than everything Jesse was familiar with. In and around the Deadlock Gorge, he ended every day by shaking sand out of places he wasn’t even sure sand could get. Hanamura looked like the kind of sleek, modern place where people were always on their way to do something, where there was always something happening.

               Jesse fell in to a hole of tourist board sites and lists of local landmarks and by the time he looked up, three more hours had slipped past, and Reyes was calling out from his seat at the back to start waking up. Jesse pulled himself out of his seat and walked in a little circle at the front of the cabin to stretch out his legs. He felt like every joint he had had ceased up. He groaned like an old man as he slowly stepped across the aisle. As he sat back down, everyone else began to wake up, and a little while later Reyes ducked his head around the cabin door to have a word with the pilot. Jesse didn’t feel like listening in but paid enough attention to notice Reyes as he came towards him.

 

               “You’ve been suspiciously quiet this whole time, McCree,” Reyes said with a sigh, looming over Jesse with his arms folded over his chest.

               “You told me to be on my best behaviour.”

               “And since when have you ever done what you’re told?”

               Jesse chuckled. The older man had a point.

               “Sombra was telling me that these guys are a big deal. Don’t want to go screwin’ it up.”

               Reyes was quiet for a moment, looking Jesse over. If Jesse didn’t k now any better, he would think Reyes was quietly impressed with what he was hearing. But he was doing his best to hide it. He simply nodded to himself.

               “Good to hear. Once we land, you’re gonna keep your mouth shut?”

               “Yes, sir.”

               The smile Reyes was trying to hide pulled a little more at the corner of his lips.

               “Alright.”

               And without another word, Reyes headed back to his seat for the landing. Jesse chuckled to himself and settled back in his own seat, catching another small nap before landing.

 

               It was dark when they landed in Hanamura, at a startlingly quiet private airport. It was a single-track place like the one they had left that morning, with one small building and a tiny parking lot out the front. Low floodlights lit the perimeter, and it was so small that their light filled most of the rest of the place as well. After a day of soft natural light, the brightness made Jesse’s eyes sting a little.

               The landing was smooth, and everyone made a point to thank the pilot for his fine work as they disembarked and came around the side of the plane to find their luggage already out of storage and being put in to a black people carrier with dark tinted windows. A broad looking Japanese man with slicked back hair in a low ponytail and wearing a full three-piece suit was stood by the driver’s side door waiting for them all. Reyes stepped up to him and exchanged a few short words and curt nods. He stepped in the front passenger seat and gestured for the rest of them to all pile in the back. Jesse found himself seated snugly between doctor O’Deorain and Akande. It wasn’t a place he ever thought he would find himself, but he didn’t mind. He was worried about moving wrong, or saying something odd, or breathing funny in his direction and accidentally pissing Akande off. Luckily, Moira didn’t seem to mind him leaning a little bit against her shoulder, and the drive was mercifully short.

               There were more hushed words between the driver and Reyes, before Reyes slid out of the passenger door and came around the side to open up the door for the rest of them. He ducked his head in to the door before he let any of them even get up.

               “Not a word from any of you.”

               There was a small, tired chorus of hums and grunts in agreements, and Reyes backed away from the car door. Moira pulled herself out, a weary tangle of limbs and mussed ginger hair, then Jesse swung out behind her. He looked around himself as the others all fell out of the car and was quietly impressed.

               They were in a walled courtyard, at the bottom of a wide staircase that lead up the wooden foundations of the vast building beyond. The walls were lined with large bushes and small, wiry trees that were just coming in to bloom. The foliage blocked off the view of what was beyond the walls and created a strange sense of isolation in the yard. Jesse could hear a small trickling stream somewhere around the side of the building. The yard was covered in white gravel that crunched quietly under his boots. The building itself was low, only a single floor, and wide. Jesse imagined it spread further back too. Above the intricately carved doors of the entrance was an emblem of two dragons, chasing each other in a circle. He found more dragon accents and designs the more he looked; carved into the doors, displayed in statues at the corners of the roof, painted in the small embellishments on the white plaster of the walls. The colours were muted in the dull moonlight, but it all still looked impressive. There was a sense of history to the place that was almost tangible to Jesse. It was unlike anything he’d felt before.

               Reyes clapped a hand down on his shoulder and span him around towards the car, gesturing for him to pick up his suitcase. Jesse heaved up his suitcase from the ground, swinging it over his shoulder and followed the rest of his new co-workers up the steps and to the door. The driver, who still hadn’t said a word, rapped his knuckles against the wood of the door. There were a few seconds of uneasy quiet between them all before a loud clunking and scraping from the other side of the door. Unseen hands pulled the doors steadily inwards until they opened wide in to a low foyer type room. It was the only thing Jesse could equate it too. There was a raised wooden walkway around the edge of the room, leading to two corridors in each corner of the square room, while the middle was lowered, accessed by surrounding wooden steps. The walls were a similar white plaster to the outside, with the occasional wooden panel and painted scroll hanging over it.

 

               Stood on the platform opposite them all were two men. One was clearly older, with long, slicked back black hair with only the slightest hints of grey streaking from his temples and at the very edges of his neatly trimmed beard and moustache. Next to him was a younger man who, to Jesse’s mind, looked similar to the older man. It was the eyes, something in them looked stern, but understanding. The younger man’s hair was just as long but left to hang loose and frame the sides of his angular face. He was watching them all closely, while the older man seemed to let his eyes wander across the motley crew before him. He stepped forwards a small step, and smiled wide, bowing deeply. His English was heavily accented, but clearly well practised.

               “Welcome, friends, to Hanamura. My name is Sojiro,” he gestured with one hand to the man stood just behind him, “This is Hanzo, my eldest. Please, you have travelled all day. You should sleep, and we will speak in the morning.”


End file.
